Tiger track and field teams take part in crowded Friends University Spring Invitational

With more than 900 athletes competing at the Friends University Spring Invitational held Thursday through Saturday, the Cowley College track and field teams had some solid performances.

Ranked first in the hammer as a team, the Tiger men had five athletes in the top-18 in the event. The Lady Tigers, also ranked first in the hammer, had three athletes in the top-19.

Fresh off breaking the school record in the triple jump, freshman Genesis Bautista placed fifth in the long jump, while Mercedes Glover and Gracie Shire each placed in the top five in the heptathlon.

The Tiger men were led by its 4x400-meter relay team, placing first in the event, while Felipe Mentz and Garrah Bauer placed in the top five of the decathlon.

"The weather went from 40 to 70 degrees with wind and rain, so it was not ideal conditions," Cowley assistant coach Parker Ray said. "Still, our athletes competed well."

The Tiger outdoor track and field teams will now prepare to compete at the KT Woodman Invitational held Friday and Saturday at Wichita State University. Friday's competition will begin at 6 p.m., and Saturday's meet will start at 9 a.m.

"This will be a good meet for us," Ray said. "I want the pole vault girls to hit the national qualifying marks, and it will be good for Diego Andres-Dougan to open the outdoor season in the hurdles."

WOMEN

*Heptathlon – Mercedes Glover, 2,680 points, fourth; Gracie Shire, 2,570 points, fifth.

*Hammer – Kayla McClellan, 139-11, eighth; McKenna Markle, 121-4, 16^th; Kennedy Bulger, 115-1, 19^th.

*Shot put – Markle, 37-1 1.4, 13^th; McClellan, 35-0 ¾, 21^st; Grusing, 34-5, 24^th; Bulger, 31-11 ¾, 34^th.

*Discus – McClellan, 117-10, sixth; Chloe Grusing, 109-9, 14^th; Markle, 98-2, 26^th.

*Pole vault – Carla Santos, 9-9 ¼, 10^th.

*Long jump – Genesis Bautista, 18-2 1/5, sixth; Abby Rueschhoff, 17-0 ¼, 12^th.

*Triple jump – Rueschhoff, 34-11 ¼, 13^th.

*High jump – LaShae Smith, 4-8, 14^th.

*1,500-meter run – Andrea Garcia-Gonzalez, 5:03.10, seventh; Delicia Boothe, 5:10.31, 11^th.

*100-meter hurdles – Smith, 16.35, 19^th.

*100-meter dash – Isabella Kupka, 12.18, fourth.

*200-meter dash – Kupka, 25.28, sixth; Bautista, 26.22, 30^th.

MEN

*Decathlon – Felipe Mentz, 6,075 points, fourth; Garrah Bauer, 5,445 points, fifth.

*Hammer – Jacob Creswell, 140-5, seventh; Abner Johnson, 132-7, 10^th; Jean-De Dixon, 128-11, 12^th; Julian Washington, 128-9, 13^th; Lance Blubaugh, 122-5, 18^th.

*Javelin –

*Shot put –Johnson, 48-9 ½, fourth; Blubaugh, 45-2, ninth; Garcia-Arroyo, 35-4 ½, 31^st.

*Discus – Blubaugh, 150-10, sixth; Abner Johnson, 149-5, seventh; Mario Garcia-Arroyo, 141-5, 11^th Dixon, 135-8, 13^th; Creswell, 118-4, 26^th.

*Pole vault – Luke Faulkner, 14-5, sixth; Riley Hunter, 13-6 ½, 10^th; Slade Roberts, 12-1, 16^th.

*1,500-meter run – Mason Bickle, 4:16.45, 40^th; Basheer Suied, 4:22.01, 55^th.

*800-meter run – Deshawn Douglas, 2:02.22, 40^th.

*200-meter dash – K'Anthony Benjamin, 21.55, ninth; Tommaso Bruni, 22.27, 27^th Devonte Pruitt, 22.50, 39^th Jeremy Garcia, 22.88, 57^th.

*5,000-meter run – Aaron Medrano, 16:15.63, 31^st; Edgar Reyes, 16:37.51, 39^th; Elio Rivera, 17:39.36, 47^th.

*4x400-meter relay – Bruni, Garcia, Benjamin, Tornay, 3:35.00, first.